Cover for a water cooler reservoir bottle

ABSTRACT

An aesthetically pleasing decorative cover for a water cooler or water cooler reservoir bottle helps to transform the bottle from a bottle into a likeness of a person or animal without completely covering the water cooler or water cooler reservoir bottle.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of international patent applicationPCT/US2013/030437 filed Mar. 12, 2013, entitled “A Cover for a WaterCooler Reservoir Bottle” and which published Sep. 19, 2013 aspublication WO 2013-138301, which is incorporated herein by reference.International patent application PCT/US2013/030437 claims priority toU.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/609,481 filed Mar. 12, 2012,entitled “Human Headgear for Solid Articles” which application isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to covers for water coolers,water bottles, and water cooler reservoir bottles.

2. Background Information

German Patent DE 202004007752U1 published in 2004 discloses a drinkcontainer lamp which combines a conventional drink container with alight source and the functions of the light source are controlled byoperating the opening and closing mechanism of the drink container. Thelight source can be arranged inside or outside the drink container. Thelight source can be enclosed by a transparent body outside thecontainer.

U.S. Design Pat. No. 539,588 from 2007 discloses an ornamental cover fora water cooler. United States Design Pat. No. 438,425 from 2001discloses an ornamental windowed and zippered cover for a waterdispensing bottle. United States Design Pat. No. 479,426 from 2003discloses an ornamental water cooler bottle cover.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,492 issued in 1995 discloses a decorative coverwhich easily fits over a water bottle mounted on a water dispenser. Thiscover provides a variably changeable decor that can fit different tastesand environments. Further, this cover includes accessory features suchas a handle for easy removal of the cover, a cup dispenser, and a pouchfor storing water delivery schedules, bills and the like. In oneembodiment the cover is constructed of a loose fitting material andincludes a top portion and a side portion. In an alternate embodimentthe cover is constructed of a rigid material designed to stand on itsown around the water bottle. In this embodiment the cover can include atop portion or can leave the water bottle exposed on the top. This rigidmaterial can be foam rubber coated with plastic for writing and erasingmessages or metallic for attaching messages by magnetic means. Both theloose-fitting and the rigid embodiments of the cover can be made withstrategically positioned viewing ports in them for determining the waterlevel in the water bottle and allowing light to reach the interior ofthe water bottle. The viewing ports can be made from the absence of anymaterial or can be constructed of a Nylon mesh material. The cover canalso include an interior liner which is used to absorb moisture awayfrom the water bottle.

United States Patent No. 2003-0071068 published in 2003 discloses anilluminated water cooler. The bottled water cooler includes at least oneand preferably a plurality of lights for illuminating a transparentwater bottle mounted onto a cooler housing in an inverted orientation.The lights are mounted on the cooler housing for illuminating the bottlegenerally at a bottle shoulder along an annular contact zone supportedon the cooler housing. The lights shine generally upwardly through thetransparent bottle wall and into the bottle interior to illuminate thebottle and its contents, resulting in an attractive and refreshingappearance.

All of the above identified patents and publications are herebyincorporated by reference in their entireties. It is an object of thepresent invention to address these deficiencies of the existing priorart.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to a cost effective, efficient, cover for awater cooler reservoir bottle that overcomes at least some of thedrawbacks of the existing designs. The present invention may include acover, sleeve, or jacket that receives an article. The cover may includea body with an interior body surface sized and shaped to receive anobject, such as an exterior body surface of a five gallon water coolerreservoir bottle. An exterior surface of the body may define the shapeof an object, a partial head having ears, a top of a head, and sides ofthe head, head gear, or a head cover. One example is a body in the formof an American football helmet. A pair of eyes, a faceguard, a nose, anda mouth, alone or in any combination, may be integrally formed with thebody or be each separately distinct from the body. In other bodyconfigurations, as listed below, other accessories (mask, scarf,garment, tie, bandana, facial features, etc.) in addition to thefacial/head features listed above can be integrally formed with a bodyor provided as distinct and separate articles.

The present invention may further include a water cooler reservoirbottle decoration kit. The kit may include a body having an interiorbody surface sized and shaped to be immediately adjacent to an exteriorbody surface of a water cooler reservoir bottle, such as a three, four,five, or six gallon capacity water cooler reservoir bottle. An exteriorbody surface of the body may define the shape of a sports helmet. Thekit may include a pair of eyes, a nose, a mouth, and a faceguard, aloneor in any combination, that are not integrally formed with the body. Thekit may further include, alone or in any combination, a vibrationsensor, a sound generator, and lights.

Another embodiment of the present invention may include a combined watercooler reservoir bottle and removable head gear or partial head. Thewater cooler reservoir bottle may include a cylindrical body, twoopposed ends, an opening defined in one of the two opposed ends, and ahandle that extends in a direction perpendicular to the two opposed endsand parallel to the opening. The removable head gear or partial head mayinclude a body that receives a water cooler reservoir bottle. The bodydoes not fully obscure the handle so that the handle and an area of theexterior body surface of the water cooler reservoir bottle immediatelysurrounding the handle is visible when the body is carried by the watercooler reservoir bottle. The body may define a body opening. The bodyopening may expose facial features defined by a water cooler reservoirbottle. The body opening may be sized and shaped so that eyes and a nosecarried by the water cooler reservoir bottle can be seen when the bodyis carried by the water cooler reservoir bottle.

These and other aspects of the present invention will be clarified inthe description of the preferred embodiment of the present inventiondescribed below in connection with the attached figures in which likereference numerals represent like elements throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a water cooler and a water coolerreservoir bottle.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a water cooler, water cooler reservoirbottle, and a cover according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a water cooler, water cooler reservoirbottle, and a cover according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a water cooler, water cooler reservoirbottle, and a cover according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

This invention is directed to a cost effective, efficient, cover for awater cooler reservoir bottle that overcomes at least some of thedrawbacks of the existing designs. The invention comprises a body thatdefines an interior body surface, wherein the interior body surface ofthe body defines a cavity sized and shaped to receive a water coolerreservoir bottle and the body does not completely cover the externalbody surface of the water cooler reservoir bottle. U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 61/609,481, filed Mar. 12, 2012 entitled“Human Headgear for Solid Articles”, and international patentapplication PCT/US2013/030437 filed Mar. 12, 2013, entitled “A Cover fora Water Cooler Reservoir Bottle” and which published Sep. 19, 2013 aspublication WO 2013-138301, are hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

The present invention is used to visually transform an object that doesnot have a human, animal, or specific article appearance into a newobject that does have a human-like, animal-like, or specific articleappearance. For example, a water cooler reservoir bottle may betransformed into the shape of a head or some other object. The inventionis not limited to water coolers or water cooler reservoir bottles.

A water cooler reservoir bottle 16 is shown in FIG. 1. The water coolerreservoir bottle 16 may include a cylindrical body 22, an exterior bodysurface 22A, two opposed ends 24, 24A, an opening 26 defined in one ofthe two opposed ends 24, 24A, and handle 28 that extends in a directionperpendicular to the two opposed ends 24, 24A and parallel to theopening 26. A first ridge 40 and a second ridge 42 may also be definedby the water cooler reservoir bottle 16. A separate water cooler 30 isalso shown. The removable water cooler reservoir bottle 16 is showninverted in the water cooler 30. The exterior body surface 22A may begenerally defined by the portion of the cylindrical body 22 that extendsabove an uppermost surface of the water cooler 30 when the water coolerreservoir bottle 16 is mounted to the water cooler 30. The exterior bodysurface 24A may or may not include a flat top adjacent to opposed end 24of the water cooler reservoir bottle 16.

The water cooler reservoir bottle 16, standing alone, does notimmediately convey a human, animal, or non-water bottle form. However,one discovery is that features defined by the water cooler reservoirbottle 16 itself can be highlighted by a cover or body to give the watercooler reservoir bottle 16 a new and unrelated visual appearance.

One example is a sleeve, jacket, or cover 10 shown in FIG. 2. The cover10 may include a body 12 sized and shaped such that an interior bodysurface 14 of the body 12 partially covers, partially receives, or isadapted to partially fit over an exterior body surface 22A of the watercooler reservoir bottle 16. For example, distances D2 and D3 are notcovered by the body 12. An exterior body surface 18 of the body 12 maydefine the shape of a human head cover 20 or head gear such as a hat orwig, a partial animal head, a partial human head, or an object. The body12 may further define a body opening 50 that is sized and shaped so thatthe body 12 does not visually obscure portions of the exterior bodysurface 22A such when the body 12 is carried by the water coolerreservoir bottle 16 such that facial features defined by or carried on awater cooler reservoir bottle 16 can be seen by an observer.

The facial features can be abstract facial features defined by a watercooler reservoir bottle 16 itself separate and discrete objects that maybe added to the exterior body surface 22A of a water cooler reservoirbottle 16. The water cooler reservoir bottle 16, the body opening 50,and the body 12 generally combine to define an abstract likeness of ahuman face, a human head, an object, an animal face, or an animal head.

The body 12 in FIG. 2 defines an American-style football helmet. Thewater cooler reservoir bottle 16 defines the handle 28. The handle 28extends in a direction perpendicular to the two opposed ends 24, 24A ofthe water cooler reservoir bottle 16. In combination with the body 12,the handle 28 forms an abstract likeness of a human nose N. Body opening50 helps to frame and highlight facial features from the exterior bodysurface 22A and also permits the handle 28 to remain functional when thebody 12 is carried by the water cooler reservoir bottle 16. When thebody 12 is carried by the water cooler reservoir bottle 16, the handle28 is not fully obstructed from view by the body 12 and the handle 28 isleast partially visible. The water cooler reservoir bottle 16 may alsoinclude a first ridge 40. By itself, first ridge 40 is non-descript.However, when a body 12 is carried by the water cooler reservoir bottle16 in a proper way, the first ridge 40 forms an abstract likeness of ahuman brow B or forehead. The water cooler reservoir bottle 16 mayfurther include a second ridge 42 that forms an abstract likeness of ahuman mouth 36. Again, the body 12 gives these features visual contextand helps to transform bumps, ridges, and lines defined by the watercooler reservoir bottle 16 into an aesthetically pleasing visualdepiction of a person or thing.

The interior body surface 14 of the body 12 may further define a cavitysized and shaped to receive the largest diameter portion of a watercooler reservoir bottle 16. An exterior surface 18 of the body 12defines the shape of a portion of a human head, an animal head, anobject or thing, or a human head cover 20. The body 12 defines anAmerican football helmet. Other examples include, but are not limitedto, sports headgear, American football helmet (FIG. 1) without afaceguard, rugby helmet or headgear, equestrian polo helmet or headgear,hockey helmet or headgear, hair or wig, baseball helmet, hockey helmet,wrestling helmet, golf headgear, NASCAR/Formula One helmet, motorcyclehelmet, rugby helmet, skateboard helmet, snowboard helmet, militaryhelmet or headgear, fireman helmet or headgear (FIG. 4), police helmetor headgear, cab driver headgear, bus driver headgear, postal headgear,fisherman headgear, sombreros, cowboy hats and headgear, coonskin caps,safari headgear, beach headgear, visors, construction hats and headgear,chef hats and headgear, a tooth or other visual representation of aprofession or occupation, sports equipment, a partial animal head (earsand rear/sides of head), crowns, Uncle Sam hat, Santa Clause hat andbeard (FIG. 3), holiday heads (cat, witch, St. Patrick, cupid, etc.) orheadgear, business headgear, marching band hats and headgear, birthdayparty hats and headgear, bridal veil, groom headgear, knight headgear,or any other type of head or head cover.

With continued reference to FIG. 2; when the body 12 receives a watercooler reservoir bottle 16, a body opening 50 with an area generallydefined by dimensions A1 times A2. A1 and A2 are lengths of the firstand second edges 44, 46 or the second and third edges 46, 48 of the body12. The body opening 50 partially physically frames and visuallytransforms bumps and curves on the water cooler reservoir bottle 16 intoabstract facial features such as a brow, nose, and mouth B, N, 36. Theinterior body surface of the body 12 has an overall body area that isnumerically smaller than a cylindrical body surface area of the watercooler reservoir bottle. Stated another way, the body 12 does notcompletely cover the exterior body surface of the water cooler reservoirbottle. The exterior body surface 22A may be generally defined by theportion of the cylindrical body 22 that extends above an uppermostsurface of the water cooler 30 when the water cooler reservoir bottle 16is mounted to the water cooler 30. The exterior body surface 24A may ormay not include a flat top adjacent to opposed end 24 of the watercooler reservoir bottle 16.

With continuing reference to FIG. 2, body 12 may include a faceguard 34and a location L for a logo. The location L of the logo or logos may beon any exterior surface 18 of the body 12. Eyes 32 (one shown forclarity), faceguard 34, and mouth 36 may be integral with the body 12,or may be pieces of a kit which are not integrally formed with the body12. If a water cooler reservoir bottle 16 with a handle 28 is used, thehandle 28 can attach to the faceguard 34 to form a vertical portion ofthe faceguard 34. In this case, an optional nose (not shown; FIG. 4) ora photograph of a person's eyes and nose may be positioned on thecylindrical body 22, directly behind the handle 28. Alternatively, thefaceguard 34 can pass under the handle 28 and the handle 28 can definean abstract human nose N. The body 12 may further include a vibrationsensor 38 that detects air bubbles rising in the water cooler reservoirbottle 16 in a direction D away from the opening 26. The vibrationsensor 38 can be electrically connected to power source, a soundgenerator, or one or more lights 52. The sound generator and lights mayalso be connected to a respective power source. When activated, thevibration/motion sensor 38 will trigger a sound, a visual light, orboth. The sound can be a voice, a song, etc. Lights can be selected toilluminate liquid in the water cooler reservoir bottle 16 and can be ofany visual wavelength or wavelengths.

FIG. 3 shows an example body 12A that defines a Santa hat 54 and beard56. The body 12A is carried by a water cooler reservoir bottle 16. Beardedge 58 and hat edge 60 partially define body opening 50A. As with FIG.2, the body opening 50A exposes and helps to define abstract facialfeatures, such as a nose N, brow B, mouth 36, eyes 32, or an eye patch(not shown).

FIG. 4 shows an example body 12B that defines a fireperson's helmet 62.The body 12B is carried by a water cooler reservoir bottle 16A. In thisembodiment, a body opening 50B remains unobstructed from view so thatdistinct and discrete facial features such as discrete eyes 32 and anose N1 can be added to the exterior body surface 22A of the watercooler reservoir bottle 16A. The body opening 50B provides a cleanpalette that decorative objects, such as facial objects, can be addedto. The water cooler reservoir bottle 16A shown in FIG. 4 does not havea handle 28. However, there are other features of the water coolerreservoir bottle 16A that are given visually aesthetic context by thebody 12B. For example, second edge 42A and bottom 66 of the water coolerreservoir bottle 16A can be used to define a mouth 36A.

The body 12, 12A, 12B may be made from any type of plastic, resin, orMylar material. The body 12, 12A, 12B may be rigid, collapsible,foldable, or inflatable by compressible or non-compressible fluid,depending on the material selected. The body 12, 12A, 12B may be formedpartially or in its entirety by injection molding, as a flat sheet thatcan be wrapped around the water cooler reservoir bottle 16, 16A, or as aflat bag with at least one open side that slides over the water coolerreservoir bottle 16, 16A. The body 12, 12A, 12B may also include aphosphorescent material that illuminates in dark areas. The body 12,12A, 12B may be made from a cloth material that can carry removablepatches or logos L, such as by hook and latch attachment. Thisarrangement allows for a single body, such as body 12, to be decoratedseveral different ways. For example, facial features ofEmployees-of-the-Month can be added and removed from a single body 12.The water cooler reservoir bottle 16 may be made from a clear plasticmaterial and may be a three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, or tengallon capacity replaceable water cooler reservoir bottle 16.

The present invention also includes a method. The method includes a stepof selling or offering for sale a body that defines an interior cavitysized and shaped to fit over a water cooler reservoir bottle, whereinthe body defines portions of a head or headgear and the body doesdefines a body opening that exposes a facial area on an exterior bodysurface of a receptacle or reservoir. The method may further include thestep of advertising to the public that the body can be used to decoratethe water cooler reservoir bottle 16. Another step includes advertisingto the public that the body can be used with facial feature integrallyformed with the body, separate and distinct from the body, or abstractlyformed by a water cooler reservoir bottle to create a visual likeness ofa person, animal, or object on a water cooler reservoir bottle.

It should be understood that the foregoing illustrative embodiments havebeen provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way tobe construed as limiting of the invention. Any combination of anyelements or embodiments described herein is contemplated. It is apparentthat many variations to the present invention may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. The presentinvention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereto.

What is claimed is:

I claim:
 1. A cover for a water cooler reservoir bottle comprising: abody that defines an interior body surface, wherein the interior bodysurface of the body defines a cavity sized and shaped to receive a watercooler reservoir bottle and the body does not completely cover theexternal body surface of the water cooler reservoir bottle.
 2. The coverfor a water cooler reservoir bottle as claimed in claim 1 wherein thebody further comprises a body opening and the body opening exposesfacial features defined on a water cooler reservoir bottle.
 3. The coverfor a water cooler reservoir bottle as claimed in claim 2, wherein thefacial features are abstract facial features defined by a water coolerreservoir bottle itself.
 4. The cover for a water cooler reservoirbottle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the facial features are added toan exterior body surface of a water cooler reservoir bottle.
 5. Thecover for a water cooler reservoir bottle as claimed in claim 4 whereina handle defined by a water cooler reservoir bottle is functional whenthe body is carried by the water cooler reservoir bottle.
 6. The coverfor a water cooler reservoir bottle as claimed in claim 5 furthercomprising a motion sensor carried by the body and electricallyconnected to a power source.
 7. The cover for a water cooler reservoirbottle claim 6 further comprising lights carried by the body andelectrically connected to a power source.
 8. The cover for a watercooler reservoir bottle as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a watercooler reservoir bottle, wherein the water cooler reservoir bottle, thebody opening, and the body combine to define an abstract likeness of ahuman face and head.
 9. The cover for a water cooler reservoir bottle asclaimed in claim 8, wherein the water cooler reservoir bottle furthercomprises a handle that extends in a direction perpendicular to twoopposed ends of the water cooler reservoir bottle and the handle formsan abstract likeness of a human nose.
 10. The cover for a water coolerreservoir bottle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the water coolerreservoir bottle further comprises a first ridge and the first ridgeforms an abstract likeness of a human brow or forehead.
 11. The coverfor a water cooler reservoir bottle as claimed in claim 10, wherein thewater cooler reservoir bottle further comprises a second ridge thatforms an abstract likeness of a human mouth.
 12. The cover for a watercooler reservoir bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body furthercomprises a body opening and the body opening exposes facial featuresdefined by a water cooler reservoir bottle.
 13. The cover for a watercooler reservoir bottle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the body openingis sized and shaped so that eyes and a nose can be seen when the body iscarried by the water cooler reservoir bottle.
 14. The cover for a watercooler reservoir bottle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water coolerreservoir bottle is a five gallon capacity water cooler reservoirbottle.
 15. A cover for a water cooler reservoir bottle comprising: abody that defines an interior body surface, wherein the interior bodysurface of the body defines a cavity sized and shaped to receive anexterior body surface of a water cooler reservoir bottle, the bodyfurther comprising a body opening that is sized and shaped to exposefacial features defined on a water cooler reservoir bottle.
 16. A watercooler reservoir bottle and cover comprising: a water cooler reservoirbottle; a body that defines an interior body surface, wherein theinterior body surface of the body defines a cavity sized and shaped toreceive a water cooler reservoir bottle and the body does not completelycover the external body surface of the water cooler reservoir bottle.17. The water cooler reservoir bottle as claimed in claim 16 wherein thebody further comprises a body opening and the body opening exposesfacial features defined on a water cooler reservoir bottle.
 18. Thewater cooler reservoir bottle as claimed in claim 17, wherein the facialfeatures are abstract facial features defined by a water coolerreservoir bottle itself.
 19. The water cooler reservoir bottle asclaimed in claim 17, wherein the facial features are added to anexterior body surface of a water cooler reservoir bottle.
 20. The watercooler reservoir bottle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the water coolerreservoir bottle is a five gallon capacity water cooler reservoirbottle.